Scott asks for probe of FAU Jesus incident

Gov. Rick Scott is asking the State University System to investigate an "offensive" class assignment at Florida Atlantic University, where students were asked to stomp on a sheet of paper with Jesus written on it.

Scott called the assignment, given by instructor Deandre Poole at FAU's Davie campus, "intolerant to Christians and those of all faiths who deserve to be respected as Americans entitled to religious freedom."

He wants chancellor Frank Brogan to draft a report of what happened and what policies are in place to ensure "this type of 'lesson' will not occur again."

After initially defending it, FAU apologized on Friday evening and then again Monday and Tuesday, calling the assignment in the intercultural communications class "insensitive and unacceptable."

"Please be assured that while a state university is a place for open dialogue and debate, we accept that we have a tremendous responsibility to consider the repercussions of our decisions." FAU President Mary Jane Saunders wrote in a letter to Brogan and Dean Colson, chairman of the State University System's governing board.

Poole couldn't be reached despite attempts by phone and e-mail last week, Monday and Tuesday.

The incident received national attention after Ryan Rotela, a communications student who describes himself as a devout Mormon, informed the media. He also complained to Poole's supervisor. FAU has apologized to him, and Scott called him Tuesday.

"I told him that it took great conviction and bravery to stand up and say what he was asked to do was wrong, and went against what he believed in," Scott said.

Some are calling for Poole and others involved to be disciplined. Pastor Mark Boykin, of Church of All Nations in Boca Raton, said his church plans to hold a protest march to FAU at 11:30 a.m. April 4.

The incident could be a political gift for Scott, who has suffered from sagging poll numbers, said Charles Zelden, a professor of history and legal studies at Nova Southeastern University in Davie.

"This is the sort of thing that a politician can take advantage of – in the positive sense of the word," he said. "It energizes his base, something that this governor really needs. The problem that Scott has isn't that the Democrats really, really hate him. It's that his base isn't that happy with him right now."

This is not the first religious controversy for FAU. Last year, some Jewish students received "eviction notices" on the doors of their dorms, which were posted by a group called Students for Justice in Palestine. In 2001, the university staged the play Corpus Christi, which depicted Jesus as gay, outraging many conservative lawmakers in the Legislature. The show went on despite the complaints.